Combination stepladder



July 12, 1927.

. 1,635,705 E. A.CARDARELL| coMBNATwN STEPLADDER Filed Deo. 9. 192s'- 2 sheets-sheet 1 1,635,705 July 12 1927' E. A. CARDARELLI COMBINATION STEPLADDER Filed Dec. 9'. 1925 z/WWV maa ttyl?.

Patented `luly 172, 1927.

e, UNirEe STA 'EMILIO.A. CARDARLLI, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. i

COMBIATION STEPLADDER.

V Applicationifiled...December 9, 192.5. Seria1No. 74,r310, r

This invention relates to step ladders and Y more particularly to thattype in which Vthe sections are -angularly separable in the normal manner andA also slidablyassociated so that'they .may be :used for extension purposes.

-A specific embodiment "of the invention, together with modifications thereof, will be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which Y Fig. 1 is a sideelevationof the V'steplad-V der in norlna'l position for use;

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the same ;VV Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionfshowing the ladder in folded position, with one sec- Y tion `extended lbeyond ythe other, the middle portiony being broken away; c

Fi V4 is a sectional viewof the'u a er )ortion of the ladder shown in Fig.' 2, along line 4L-#4; n l' Y Fig. 5 1s an enlargedv detail view of the ladder as shown in FiglQ with hook 'locked in closed position; y

Fig. 6 is a horizontal -sectiovnalong line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and` l Fig. 7 is a. side elevation of the laddershown by Fig. 1, vas used inconjunctionfwith a modifiedform, havingV La reark section shorter `than the front section.V

Referring to the drawings, numeral 1indicates Ythe front section ofthe ladder and numeral 2 therear section.- i

In'the front section, the'y lateral strips 3 are spaced farther apartatthe base than atV the top and are joined by the series of. steps 4, in the usual manner. Strips Vor guides are fixed to the rearedgesof the steps 4 andv tion 1 is provided with a rearwardly pro-v jecting Umhaped retainer orvframeA 9 Figs. 4 and 6) havingends 10 and 11 fastened to the step and joined by a cross piece 12 spaced at such distance from the step 4 as to permit section 2, having parallel sides 13, to be passed therethrough, when placed .againstV andparallel to thelirst or front section.

'rE-s PATENT OFFICE.

lsu...Y

V'lfherear sectionf2 is narrowerf than theV front section and the parallel sides are adapted tofit between the parallel sides 'of the' guidesy 5 on the front section. VThe rear section is alsoprovided with a series'of steps 14. Adjacent the Vupper step 14at is provided a rod ljpassing transversely lthrough the sides 13 and held in lposition bythe "engagement 'of Va spring 16 with a slot 17 or.

thelike therein. Y The rod 15 is adapted tov engage'fthe frame or band9'to prevent complete retraction of the rear section and also" serves Vas a pivot aboutwhich the rear section may be opened out'into angularposition ,withthefirst v(see Figs. 2 and' 4) y unti'l' the upper end of the rear section` engages the cross piece 18 located immediately below the top step 4Uv Y on section 1. To furtherprevent spreading ofthe two' sectionsthe,tongues 7 of. hooks 6 may be 'inserted into openings orother means for engaging the rearsection as at 19.

Uponnow disengagingv the hooks ,6 and folding the two sections 1 and `Q'together, theyv are capable of mutual sliding movement, as shown byFig. H3, section 2 passing through therb'and or frame 9 and being held in` alignment with the Yfirst section bythe guides 5 oneither side (asindicated by Fig.

2). "A bail athavns a projecting Portion 22A and lpivoted'betvveen Vthe sides 13 at the ends-V23, is provided which Vvmay Ybe swung over a step 4 of the front section, thereby to support the rear section vin raised posif ation, upward movement of theV bai'l being prevented by cross piece 24. vAs thus ad'-l -justed-the apparatus may be used as an eXj tension ladder (Fig. 3). Y

, The base of the rear Section is provided -with laterally extending feet 26, which give the rear section a totalY width or spread substantially as great as the front section and` which contribute added stability when th ladder is in use. By, so Vdesigning the x widths, packing and moving of theV ladder is facilitated. In converting the'eXtension ladder to step ladder, the rear 'section is drawn down through the band 9 until the.k ends ofcross rod 15 engagethe end portions 10, 11y of the band, thus preventing further 'downward movement. The lower portion of the rear lOli section is then swung backwardly to the position shown by Fig. 1, when the top of the rear section swings against erosspiece 18. I-Iools S are then dropped into openings 19 in the step 14E ot the rear section. The step ladder, as thus set up, is ready tor use in the customary manner, with the additional feature that both trent and rear sections are equally useful and may also be used simul taneously, which is not the ease with analogous structures which have been heretot'ore provided.

It now the ladder is to be extended, the hooks (l are disconnected and the tongues 7 swing into their corresponding loops tl. The rear section is next swung between the guides n, the sides 13 thereof preventing disengagement ot the hooks G (Fior. d). In this position one may slide the rear section 2 upwardly through the band 9 to the desired height and the bail 21 swung over one ol' the steps e, thereby supporting it in elevated position.

For this use, the rod 1.3 may be removed by raising the spring catch 1li trom the slot 17 and retracting the same, longitudinally, as`will be clear [from Fig. (l. lVlien this done, the rear sections ma).v be withdrawn entirely through the band ll, and the two sections en'iployed independt-nitly.

Vlllien out ol use, the rear section may be raised to disengage the step l iti-om the bail 21 which is then swung downwardly, where upon the rear section may be slid back into juxtaposed position, when the whole occupies a minimum space tor storage.

A niodilieation ot the device as thus described is shown in Fig. 7, in which the rear section f2 is ot substantially the same general structure but shortened appreciably, thereby adapting the same lor use under special conditions, as where unequal `levels are encountered, and thus adaptable for pairing up with the usual torni ot' ladder` as for supporting staging or the like in unusual positions and under varying circumstances.

I claim:

1. A step ladder comprising trout and rear sections each provided. with steps, a U-shaped retaining frame tixedly secured to the it'ront section near its upper end, said retaining trame embracing the rear section and forming a guide for the latter, a. removable stop rod normally extending transversely across the rear section near its upper end` said rod having its ends projecting 'tor engagement with the sides of the U-shaped iii-ame to limit movement of the rear seci tion in one direction, said rod having a recess therein, and a latch member normally engaging said recess to prevent accidental removal of the rod.

2. A step ladder comprising front and rear sections each provided with steps, the trout section having o'uides between which the rear section may lie disposed and along which the rear section may slide to torni an extension ot the lront section, pivot means permitting the rear section to swing anguv larly to the front section, a hook carried by the -liront section 'tor bracing the rear section when the latter swung to angular position, and an eye carried, by the liront section for receiving the hook when the latter is out of use, the eye being spaced from the rear section, when the latter is disposed between the guides of the 'front section, a distance sultcient to aecrnnmodate the body portion oi the hook but insutlicient to permit withdrawal oit the tongue of the hook from the eye so long as the rear section remaina between the guides oi the front section, thereby preventing accidental disengage mentof the hook and eye.

tiligned by ine at Boston, Uassachusetts` this eighth day of December, 1925.

EMILIO A. CARDARELLI. 

